It is not humanly possible to eat $30 worth of Jack in the Box tacos unless you are high—I know, I've tried (and puked). So what is it about weed that can turn a reheated block of horse meat and synthetic cheese into a golden-brown, deep-fried pocket of happy childhood memories? Big Buds takes a look at the science behind the munchies. [Big Buds - Image: Rachel Blaser / Shutterstock]

New York City might not be decriminalizing weed any time soon but Chicago is certainly trying. The city council's Public Safety Committee voted 13-1 on Friday to send Mayor Emmanuel's weed proposal to the full council for a vote this Wednesday. Under this scheme, getting caught with possession of anything under 15 grams would result in a $250-500 fine rather than six months in jail and a mark on your rap sheet.

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The proposal looks to have a good chance of passing as well, garnering broad support from even law enforcement. "These arrests tied up more than 45,000 police hours," Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said in a press statement. "The new ordinance nearly cuts that time in half, which equals an approximate $1 million in savings, while freeing up cops to address more serious crime."

Of course it will be interesting to see how the Federal government will respond if this does pass the council—it's not like they can just bully a couple of landlords into compliance (as the DEA has in its most recent CA dispensary crusades). [Chicago Sun Times - Image: Andrey Bayda/ Shutterstock]

After two years of vetting, the first of two industrial scale MMJ grow operations is set to begin in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. The non-profit, Compassionate Care Foundation Inc., is currently renovating a 85,000-square-foot warehouse which will house 16,000 plants and production lines for lozenges and such. The group hopes to begin growing by the end of summer and starting commercial operations by December.

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"This is not, as some people call it, a ‘pot farm,'" Real estate magnate Leo Schoffer told Big Buds. "This is a pharmaceutical industry, and it's going to provide a service and provide jobs. In the long run, I think other towns will say, ‘Why didn't we jump on the bandwagon?'" In all, the operation is expected to add fifty jobs to the local economy. Prices are expected to be in-line with the current market—about $300 per ounce, though, according to William Thomas, the president of the Compassionate Care Foundation, "$115 goes to the federal government." That's a pretty steep tax, but hey, whatever keeps you from getting raided. [BigBuds]